Hope for gas connection to ease costs

The Mayor of the Pyrenees Shire, Michael O'Connor, says connecting Avoca to natural gas will reduce the cost of living for people in the town.

The town should be connected to the network by mid-2016, with the State Government making an agreement with SP AusNet.

It is part of the Government's $100 million project to connect 14 towns to natural gas.

Councillor O'Connor says residents have been campaigning for gas and it is good news.

"It means that household costs are reduced, the cost of bottled gas compared to natural gas there's quite a distinction between the two and it gives us the opportunity for industry that requires this sort of fuel to establish in Avoca," he said.